Spigelia marilandica is one of the perennials I've wanted to try in my garden for quite some time. I cannot count how many times I asked for it at various greenhouses, nurseries, and garden centers. I usually got one of the following answers. "We had some but they sold out already." I hated to hear that! "We'll probably have it later this summer." Of course, this is at a greenhouse far enough away from my house that I'm unlikely to return later in the summer. "Huh?" They don't … [Read more...] about I found it! Spigelia!
perennials
Don’t Assume I’ve Grown Every Flower
Don't assume I've grown every flower you can grow in my hardiness zone just because I've been gardening pretty much my entire life in the same zone. For example, I just started to grow what I like to call "summer alliums" a few years ago when an old friend gave me two big clumps of Allium 'Millenium' that he pulled out of a container planting. I split those clumps into the individual bulbs and planted rows of them along several flower beds. I took this picture a few weeks ago, … [Read more...] about Don’t Assume I’ve Grown Every Flower
The Worst Gardening Job of the Season
Cutting the seed heads off my Amsonia is the worst gardening job of the season. And I did that job today. What makes this the worst gardening job of the season is the sap hidden in those branches. It looks like ordinary, white glue but its stickier than glue and leaves a stain on whatever it gets on. I know this from experience. So every year, I put on the same long pants and long-sleeved shirt that I wear for just this occasion. No sense ruining more gardening clothes with … [Read more...] about The Worst Gardening Job of the Season
Daisy, Daisy, Give Me Your Answer Do
What do you mean, I didn't plant this? This is none other than the nicest clump of fleabane, (probably Erigeron annuus), a common weed, that I've ever grown. It's blooming in the garden, acting for all the world like it belongs there, like it was I who planted it. I will let it go for now. It's kind of pretty. Plus, there are for more egregious weeds to pull before I yank this out. But I shall not let it go to seed! (Much) Elsewhere in the garden there are ox-eye daisies, … [Read more...] about Daisy, Daisy, Give Me Your Answer Do
Keeping Track of Plants
Tucked in a little triangle of ground between the house and a little path of pavers I made to get to the hose spigot, I found some ice plants, Delosperma, blooming the other day. I know I did not buy these but recall getting some as trial plants. I did a quick search through my email and I found that in 2016, I indeed got some Delosperma to trial, but I kind of think I planted those in the back garden somewhere. If this one in the picture is one of those, then it is a Jewel of Desert® … [Read more...] about Keeping Track of Plants
Colchicums Report On Time
I love being on time, which means being just a few minutes early. I do not like the opposite of being on time, which is being late.So I am happy to see the colchicums are right on time, maybe a tiny bit early.They are lovely flowers. The foliage comes up in the spring and dies back by mid-summer. My recollection is the foliage came up good and strong this past spring so this nice clump of flowers should not be surprising.Most of my colchicums were sent to me by Kathy from Cold Climate … [Read more...] about Colchicums Report On Time
